title: Molecular study of HBZ and gp21 human T cell leukemia virus type 1 proteins isolated from different clinical profile infected individuals.
abstract: Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is associated with a neurological syndrome named tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM) and the disease progression involves viral factors. The gp21 glycoprotein is involved in envelope trafficking and membrane targeting while the bZIP protein is indispensable for cell growth and proliferation. This study aimed to assess the molecular diversity of gp21 and HBZ proteins in TSP/HAM and healthy carriers. DNA samples from HTLV-1-infected individuals were submitted to PCR and sequencing, and the molecular analyses were performed using bioinformatics tools. From eight gp21-analyzed sequences one amino acid change (Y477H) was associated with the switch of a helix to coil structure at secondary structure prediction. From 10 HBZ analyzed sequences, two amino acid changes were identified (S9P and T95I) at the activation domain. One mutation (R112C) located at the nuclear localization signal was present in 66.7% and 25% of healthy carriers (HC) and TSP/HAM groups, respectively. This is the first report of mutations in the HBZ region. These polymorphisms might be important for viral fitness.
authors.affiliation: 1 Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz , Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil .
authors.forename: Aline Cristina A
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Mota-Miranda
authors.forename: Fernanda K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.forename: Everton
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baptista
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Farre-Vale
authors.forename: Joana P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Monteiro-Cunha
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Galvão-Castro
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos J
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Alcantara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017354:Point Mutation; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; C479751:HBZ protein, human T-cell leukemia virus type I; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C055265:gp21 protein, Human T-lymphotropic virus 1